Christ or Judgement
Hebrews Bible Study • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,
27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.
29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?
30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”
31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings,
33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated.
34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one.
35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.
36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
37 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
38 But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
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vs. 26-27 Judgement in the new covenant
vs. 28 Judgement under the old covenant
vs. 29-31 Judgement in the new covenant
vs. 32-34 Endurance under trial
vs. 35-36 Encouragement
vs. 38 The foundation of endurance
vs. 39 What we are
Review: What are the major differences between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant?
We closed last week with some practical encouragement rooted in an important New Covenant distinction
14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.”
22 let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
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There’s an objective holiness to the new covenant. It’s not merely a sprinkling which lasts for a time until we sin again. That’s why we can boldly approach the the throne of grace!
Let’s not leave that behind. If we take this next passage out of context, we can immediately contradict everything that’s just been made clear.
Judgement
Judgement
vs. 26-27
26 For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.
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What questions or observation immediately come to mind here?
Remember where we’ve been with this Jewish audience.
1 For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.
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What’s the author trying to communicate here?
If you’ve heard the gospel and seen what Christ has done in his death and resurrection and haven’t responded in faith, you haven’t been sanctified, your heart hasn’t been changed and you continue in sin, there’s no future sacrifice to look forward to. There’s not another lamb of atonement next year like before in the Old Covenant. When this blood of the lamb is applied we don’t go on sinning like you did before under the Old Covenant.
Continuing unchanged under the Old Covenant should bring the expectation of judgement. There’s no looking forward to the next lamb. This is the lamb!
Argument from the lesser to the greater. Old to New.
28 Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge His people.” 31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
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What is the disposition of this individual who goes on sinning?
a b a b
a) Old Covenant
b) New Covenant
tramples under foot the Son of God
Regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant (OC)
insulted the Spirit of grace?
20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which God commanded you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled both the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with the blood. 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. 23 Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
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If we step way back let’s recognize what the author is saying by going on sinning willfully. This is not a Christian who finds one day he wanted to sin. If we’re not careful we start characterizing Christians as those who only sin accidentally because it wasn’t willful or sin very infrequently because it’s not ongoing.
I don’t believe that’s what the author is saying. The quintessential example is the Pharisees. The saw in full display the work of the Spirit through Jesus granting grace upon grace to the tax collectors and sinners and they insulted him for it.
Who is this who sits with tax collectors and sinners? In truth it was them who continued in their sin presuming upon the effectiveness of that next sacrifice, the sacrifice which could not make them perfect.
In a literal sense they trampled under foot the Son of God. They had him beaten and crucified because they presumed he was an unclean sinner.
When we read Hebrews we shouldn’t find anything we haven’t already seen in the ministry of Christ.
Parable of the Landowner
Matthew 21:33-46
Practically how does this help us engage the nominal Christian. That individual who thinks they’re a Christian, but evidently by their fruit we know likely aren’t.
Encouragement and Endurance
Encouragement and Endurance
32 But remember the former days, when, after being enlightened, you endured a great conflict of sufferings, 33 partly by being made a public spectacle through reproaches and tribulations, and partly by becoming sharers with those who were so treated. 34 For you showed sympathy to the prisoners and accepted joyfully the seizure of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better possession and a lasting one. 35 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised.
—-
Shift between one expectation to another. Those who have rejected Christ should expect judgement.
What is the Christian’s expectation on that final day and what does that mean for us today?
There’s a sense of assurance and confidence that fuels endurance.
Faith
Faith
37 For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. 38 But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. 39 But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
—-
At the end of the day what is it that preserves the soul in endurance?
Endurance should not be characterized by a subjective feeling, “Am i going to make it?” That’s faith in our ability.
Endurance should be characterized by a confidence in knowing that we have a better and lasting possession waiting for us.
Endurance is the subjective response to two objective truths
The person and work of Jesus Christ (past)
The better lasting possession secured for us. (future)
How can trials help or hinder our faith?
Help
3 And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4 and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
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Hinder
Trials often hinder our faith when accompanied by an falsehood an untrue belief.
The author of Hebrews is calling them to faith in trial while challenging the falsehood they’ve assumed.
Let’s go back to the disciples as Jesus was going to the cross. It’s clear their faith was shaken. They were scattered like sheep in despair. What was the falsehood they didn’t recognize that caused them to despair?
What are some modern falsehoods that make trials difficult to overcome for us?
People in your life maybe nominal Christians who need to hear the gospel?
Trials in your life that require endurance that we can pray for?
